Tobi Amusan, the reigning world champion and world record holder in the Women’s 100m Hurdles, will not make it to the finals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. She placed 3rd in her semifinal heat with a time of 12.55 seconds. This was not enough to get her into the final.
In her semifinal, Amusan was beaten by the United States’ Alayasha Johnson and the Bahamas’ Devynne Charlton. Johnson led with a time of 12.39 seconds, and Charlton clocked 12.50 seconds. Amusan had run 12.49 seconds to win her heat earlier, but her journey at these Olympics ends in disappointment.
Nigeria’s performance at the Paris Games is disappointing. So far, Nigerian athletes have not won any medals. This is a big contrast to the hopes and expectations for the team, especially with athletes like Amusan.
Amusan had been optimistic about her chances this season. She said her past Olympic experiences had made her more determined. She hoped Paris 2024 would be her moment, saying, “The first time I came as an Olympian, I was like 18/19, the second time I think I was a little bit experienced and I didn’t get on the podium. This time I think, it’s my season.”
The disappointment of Amusan’s early exit has sparked criticism of Nigeria’s sports administration. Former Super Eagles Coach Adegboye Onigbinde has criticized the country’s sports administration. He believes systemic issues are causing the poor results.
As the Paris 2024 Olympics come to an end, Nigerian athletes and their supporters are looking for improvement. They hope future competitions will bring better results and success. For now, they will focus on what went wrong and how to improve.
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